Posts Tagged ‘Packers’

1. Minnesota Vikings – THE GOOD – Vikings look like the most complete team right now which is why they’re at the #1 spot for the first time this year. Their only loss came to the Steelers, where they looked like the better team. D-line is tenacious, Favre is playing great, run game looks great. Secondary is playing well. Vikes run defense is great. THE BAD – The biggest question mark remains unanswered – Will Favre hold up through the long haul? Defense still has lapses where they don’t look great. CONTENDER? Yep.

2. New Orleans Saints – THE GOOD – Another week, another win. The Saints fall to #2 for the first time this year. The reason? Too many close games and come from behind victories against inferior opponents recently. Brees is playing great, although he had a below average game against the Rams. Offense is guaranteed to score over 20 points in virtually every game. THE BAD – Defense still gives up yards and points, the team barely beat a bad Rams team. Defense is starting to show some leaks, the Rams had over 400 yards of offense. CONTENDER? Yes.

3. New England Patriots – THE GOOD – Tom Brady is still Tom Brady. Offense is really coming on strong. Defense plays bend but don’t break better than just about any other defense right now. Gameplanning is excellentThe team leaps over the Colts in the rankings even though they lost. The reason? Simply because they looked like a better team for most of the game. THE BAD – Defense definitely isn’t dominant (it may not have to be, though). Belichick outsmarted himself and Sunday and it cost the Pats a win. CONTENDER? Yep, frankly they look like the team to beat in the AFC right now, even though the Colts will probably get the #1 seed.

4. Indianapolis Colts – THE GOOD – Manning continues to be the Colts offense and is doing a good job at carrying the load so far. Defense is playing well at times. THE BAD – The Colts and their defense showed some serious weaknesses against the Pats, even they beat New England they fall in the rankings. No one can convince me that at this point the Colts are a better team than the Pats after Sunday’s game. Run game is still meek. Run defense is still a problem. With the Pats focusing on Dallas Clark, the Colts offense struggled at times. CONTENDER? Yep.

5. Cincinnati Bengals – THE GOOD – Bengals fans have to be loving this season so far with the Bengals sweeping the Ravens and Steelers. Defense is playing lights out right now. Offense is buying into the new ball-control style of running the ball and throwing it here and there. THE BAD – This team is relying heavily on their defense, the offense doesn’t score a lot of points and isn’t that explosive. CONTENDER? Yep, although the offense needs to improve if the Bengals are going to go deep into the playoffs.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers – THE GOOD – After a close, tough loss to the Bengals, the Steelers fall in the rankings. O-line is still playing well. Defense is keeping opponents to low scores. THE BAD – The coaching on this team is a real question mark outside of DC Dick Lebeau. Offense isn’t consistent, gameplanning is suspect. Defense isn’t as dominant as last year. CONTENDER? Yep.

7. San Diego Chargers – THE GOOD – Don’t look now but here comes everyone’s favorite AFC underachievers, the Chargers. Rivers is playing great, LT seems to be coming on all the sudden. Defense is playing well at times. THE BAD – Defense was shredded by McNabb on Sunday. Defense, and secondary in particular, doesn’t really look that good right now. Norv Turner is still the head coach. CONTENDER? Doubtful, defense has too many holes and Turner is the head coach.

8. Arizona Cardinals – THE GOOD – Kurt Warner continues to up put great numbers when playing well. Offense can be explosive. Defense continues to play well AT TIMES. There’s talent here and there. THE BAD – The defense looked very spotty against an average Seahawks offense. Questionable coaching at times. CONTENDER? Same as last week, who the hell knows, I don’t even think the Cardinals know. It’s hard picturing them getting past the Saints or Vikes to get to the Super Bowl, though.

9. Green Bay Packers – THE GOOD – Packers have been playing better of late. Rodgers continues to put up solid numbers. Defense is looking really good at times. CB Charles Woodson is playing great. Running game is looking good. THE BAD – O-line might be slightly improved but still doesn’t look that great. Defense still has some weaknesses. CONTENDER? Doubtful, but with an relatively easy schedule the rest of the way, the Packers could use the big win against the Cowboys as momentum going into the 2nd half of the season.

10. Dallas Cowboys – THE GOOD – Even though the Cowboys lost, Romo put up decent numbers. Defense continues to play well for the most part. THE BAD – Romo reverted back to his choker moniker status by having a couple very costly turnovers against the Packers. Coaching continues to be a huge question mark. For most of the game, the Cowboys were either tied or down only by 3 points on Sunday but only ran the ball a total of 11 times not counting the 3 scrambles by Romo. That made no sense at all. CONTENDER? Not yet, and they probably won’t be until they get a new head coach (and maybe QB).

stumbled across a UFL game the other night. Woah man. So that’s what happened to Dennis Green. You’d think he would’ve just stuck with the NFL Network. Anyway, the God-awful uniforms reminded me of the Carolina Panther’s uniform. Now the Panthers don’t look that bad, but they are still pretty bad. Plus, the team is called the Panthers, could you pick a more lame, generic name? I really don’t think you can. And to top that off they have the worst logo in the NFL. Look at this thing.

It looks like a 15 year old came up with it. If you look at it from a distance it just looks like a big black blob. With a lot of NFL teams making alterations to their uniforms I think it’s high time the Panthers follow suit.

Everytime I see the Texans logo I think of something you’d see on a package of meat you’d get at the grocery store. Does the USDA have a logo for the meat industry in America? And if so does it look anything like the Texans logo?

Call me crazy but I kinda liked seeing the Bucs in their old orange uniforms last week. Look at their old logo, not only is he winking at you, but he’s got a dagger in his mouth so you know he might kick your ass! What an underrated logo.

The Patriots old logo is so hilarious it’s actually kind of cool. With them wearing the throw back uni’s this year it might be a good idea to continue to alternate uniforms every season. There’s only so much “flying elvis” that people can take.

In other thoughts, what happened to John Madden? How rich is that guy? I actually found myself sort of missing the old fart last Sunday night, even though I’ve never been a fan of his play by play. I’m not sure Chris Collinsworth is a good replacement. On Monday Night Football Jon Gruden is doing a great job. Not only is he funny but he makes some interesting observations.

Games to Watch in Week 10

New England vs. Indianapolis – The media has been very happy this week.

Philadelphia vs. San Diego – Two teams with winning records trying to close the gap in their respective divisions.

Dallas vs. Green Bay – Dallas trying to widen their lead in the division. Green Bay trying to get back in the playoff picture.

Jacksonville vs. New York Jets – Two 4-4 teams trying to get some positioning in the playoff picture. Loser could be in serious trouble.

Lock of the Week

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh – The Steelers should roll in this one. In their previous game in Cincinnati, the Steelers dominated for 3 quarters and looked like the clearly better team but let up in the 4th quarter. That probably won’t happen this time. The Bengals have a number of defensive injuries, while the Steelers have RB Rashard Mendenhall and safety Troy Polamalu in the lineup, both of whom were absent in the previous game against the Bengals.

– The Giants will not be making the playoffs after losing at home against the Chargers. I’m already writing them off, especially with such a brutal schedule the rest of the way.

– The Cardinals continue to be one of the most unpredictable teams in the NFL. After losing 34-21 at home against Carolina, they go on the road and spank the Bears 41-21.

– The Buccaneers will not go winless this year. Way to go, Bucs!

– The Packers are officially in trouble of making the playoffs this year. Losing to the Bucs could be devastating. It at least shows the Packers are not serious contenders this year.

– The Saints defense has scored more points than the Browns offense so far this year. Just for this statistic alone the Browns are officially the worst team in the NFL this season.

– Seahawk fans may not feel like their team actually won yesterday. After being down 17-0 to the Lions in the 1st quarter the Seahawks managed to scrape out a win, but not after playing a pretty poor game against one of the bottom-dwellers in the NFL.

– Matthew Stafford is playing like a rookie QB.

– The Chicago Bears will not be making the playoffs this year.

– The Titans have not been officially eliminated from playoff contention. Just sayin’.

Other Observations-

– The Bengals defense is playing better than their actual numbers are showing. They had arguably their most impressive game of the season against the Ravens this weekend, shutting down JoeFlacco and the Ravens offense for most of the game in a huge divisional showdown. The secondary is playing a lot better of late.

– I’ve touted the Ravens as contenders all year, but losing like they did against the Bengals has to be pretty concerning for Ravens fans everywhere. The offense isn’t progressing as the season goes on and the Ravens defense is clearly aging and the team is not adequately replacing the older players. Losing Rex Ryan has been huge. I’m not ready to completely write this team off, but it’s not looking good.

– The Texans played their hearts out against the Colts in Indianapolis. If not for a goal line fumble and/or a missed FG in the last seconds of the game, the Texans might’ve won, but that’s what separates the best from the rest. The Texans still haven’t taken that next step. I do have to question some of the overly safe playcalling by the Texans offense in this game. A lot of run plays on first and second down even though the Colts were missing half their starting secondary and the fact that the Texans are a passing team.

– The Colts beat the Texans to remain undefeated but consider this – Peyton Manning had 40 passing attempts in the first half (!!!) and threw for over 200 yards but the Colts were only up 13-3 at halftime. That is precisely why I’d be surprised if the Colts make it to the Super Bowl. For an 8-0 team the Colts haven’t exactly be overly impressive.

– The MiamiDolphins know how to play against the Patriots. Even though they lost 27-17, the game was a lot closer than the score indicates. The Pats defense seems to struggle against the Wild Cat formation and the Dolphins defense knows how to play against the Pats passing game. They just single covered RandyMoss and covered the short passing game, which is the Pats bread and butter. Almost worked Sunday, but not quite.

– It looks like the Cowboys defense may have finally turned a corner over the past few games. Constantly underperforming for most of last year and into this season, the Cowboys defense is finally playing up to it’s potential. Defensive line is getting good pressure on the QB and the secondary, which has long under achieved, is finally playing great.

– Bad coaching decision of the week – Trailing the Cowboys 20-13 with just under 5 minutes left in the game and with NO time outs left, Andy Reid elects for the team to attempt a 52 yard FG. The ball barely breaks the crossbar. Why is this a bad coaching decision? Well, for one it’s a 52 YARD FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT. There’s a decent chance your kicker won’t even make the field goal, which would give the Cowboys the ball near midfield. But even if he makes it (which he did) the Cowboys get the ball with just over 4 minutes left, your team has no time outs left and all the Cowboys have to do is pick up a couple first downs to run out the clock. Which is precisely what they did. But even if you force the Cowboys to punt you will have no time outs left AND you still need a TD with little time left! Andy Reid can put together a good team but his on field decision making and clock management is very questionable at times.

– Horrible officiating watch – There were a number of bad calls on Sunday. In the Texans-Colts game there was a horrible unnecessary roughness call on a Texan defensive back when he hit Dallas Clark around the shoulder pads as he was attempting to catch a ball. Why is that a penalty?? There was a strange defensive offsides call on the Texans defense that helped the Colts to keep a drive alive. I sure didn’t see it on the play. Of course CBS never showed a replay so we’ll never know for sure whether there was offsides or not on the play.

In the Lions-Seahawks game there was a pass interference call on a Lions DB, even though a.) the ball was uncatchable and b.) if anything there was offensive pass interference on the Seahawk WR on the play when he grabbed the Lions DB. The Seahawks would go on to score on that drive.

In the Dolphins-Pariots game the Dolphins had to challenge a play where Miami QB Chad Henne was hit as his arm was going forward and lost the ball but the refs called it a fumble and the Pats recovered it. It’s totally ridiculous that a team has to use a challenge on a play where it’s clear and obvious that the play is not a fumble. There was horrible pass interference call on a Pats DB, when Miami’s WR Ted Ginn basically ran into him. Last time I checked a DB is allowed his space on the field. Is there a rule that I’m not aware of where a DB has to get out of the way of a WR? Pretty sure that’s not in the rulebook.

In the Cowboys-Eagles game there was horrible unsportsmanslike conduct call on Eagles DB Assante Samuels, even though he helped up the player he was supposedly taunting! I still don’t understand how the Eagles didn’t get a first down on the QB sneak by Donovan McNabb in the fourth quarter. Just a horrible spot by the refs. The Eagles challenged the spot on the field but it was bizarrely upheld, even though it was clear that McNabb had gotten the first down.

1. New Orleans Saints – THE GOOD – Same as last week, pretty much everything at this point. The defense still gives up points, but the offense once again is out running it. THE BAD – Still question marks about the defense and this team playing in cold weather stadiums later in the season. Brees had 3 INT’s against the Dolphins, which could be a sign that teams are starting to see how to defend the Saints passing attack. CONTENDER? Oh yes.

2. Indianapolis Colts – THE GOOD – Same as last week, pretty much everything, although the defense has some question marks. THE BAD – Once again, A LOT rides on Peyton Manning, if he plays poorly or even at a level below what’s he currently playing at this team will probably lose, especially to the better teams in the league. CONTENDER? Yep.

3. Minnesota Vikings – THE GOOD – The Vikes actually leap frog over the Steelers, even though they lost to them. Why? They outplayed, outcoached and outgained the Steelers at Heinz Field. If not for a couple bad breaks they win that game. Favre is looking good, defense is looking tough. THE BAD – Secondary still has some big question marks, the Vikes run defense got gashed by the Steelers running game for a lot of 10+ yard runs. CONTENDER? Yep.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers – THE GOOD – The Steelers are still ranked high in most offensive and defensive categories. The Steelers showed against the Vikes that they’ll be very hard to run against. The offense is loaded with talent. THE BAD – Defense still hasn’t been as dominant as last year, even with their 2 TD’s against the Vikes, they allowed almost 400 yards of offense at home. Secondary needs to play better in pass coverage. Coaching staff is suspect at times. CONTENDER? Yep.

5. Denver Broncos – THE GOOD – With their bye, same as last week, coaching staff is doing a great job (so far), D-line is looking like one of the best in the league, which will do wonders for the rest of the defense. THE BAD – Bronco’s offense gets the job done, but barely. It sure doesn’t scare anyone. CONTENDER? Probably, but get back to me in a few weeks after they’ve played the Ravens, Steelers and Chargers.

6. New England Patriots – THE GOOD – The offense is gelling, the defense is looking better and better. THE BAD – With two dominating wins over teams in disarray (Titans, Bucs) it’s easy to get real high on this team right now. Still question marks about the defense and running game. CONTENDER? It’s looking like it, but we’ll see once they start playing better competition. Nov. 15 in Indy looks like a good start.

7. Arizona Cardinals – THE GOOD – The Cards shoot up out of nowhere to the #7 spot with their impressive win over the Giants in NY. The Cardinals defense is playing better. Offense can be dangerous. THE BAD – Defense still has some big question marks. Kurt Warner is starting to show his age. Offense has the worst pass to run ratio in the NFL, which is usually never a good thing. CONTENDER? Doubtful, this team could easily drop out of the rankings. Of course that was the case last year as well and looked what happened.

8. New York Giants – THE GOOD – The Giants can still run the ball, D-line still has some ferocious pass rushers. THE BAD – Eli Manning seems to struggle more often than not when the weight of the offense is put on him. Secondary is starting to look very shaky. CONTENDER? Looked like it a couple weeks ago, now not so sure.

9. Cincinnati Bengals – THE GOOD – One of Cincy’s more impressive wins in recent memory this past weekend against the Bears. Believe or not but the Bengals have the leading rusher right now (Cedric Benson), defense is better than it’s been in years. Carson Palmer has been solid leading a safer, more ball-control offense. THE BAD – Just how good is their defense? It’s only ranked 20th in yards and near the bottom against the pass. Offense doesn’t put up a ton of points. CONTENDER? Probably not.

10. Green Bay Packers – THE GOOD – Aaron Rodgers continues to play at an elite level. Defense continues to improve with aggressive new 3-4 defensive scheme, currently ranked 3rd in yards allowed. THE BAD – O-line still has question marks in pass protection and run blocking. Run defense still needs a little bit more improvement. CONTENDER? Could be, we’ll have a better idea next week against the Vikes in a huge divisional game.

Ron Winters and his officiating crew is probably still the worst crew in the NFL with a number of questionable calls in the Vikings-Steelers game. “Defensive delay of game”? What the hell is that?

The Falcons defense isn’t very good. Could cost the Falcons a playoff spot or a playoff loss.

Carolina is definitely not making the playoffs this year. Get ready to hear about a possible coaching change in the offseason.

The Rams look like they’re trying to claim “Worst Team in the NFL” this year but they’re getting tough competition from the Browns, Chiefs and Buccaneers.

The Cardinals are actually 4-2 after their impressive win over the Giants. Wonder how many people actually realize that. They’re suddenly the new favorite to win the Stinker Division (ie, NFC West).

JaMarcus Russell was benched probably 5 games late.

Other Observations

The Jay Cutler trade is starting to look a little one-sided right now. Consider that the Broncos got a 1st round and 3rd round pick in 2009 AND a 1st round pick in 2010 AND Kyle Orton in exchange for letting Cutler go!! Insane. Cutler has been erratic and not very impressive so far this year (he’s averaging almost 2 INT’s a game) and while he may get better with more talent around him in Chicago, there’s no doubt that Denver got a pretty sweet deal in getting rid of Cutler. Sort of funny that Orton has better numbers and has outplayed Cutler so far this year.

Why did the Dolphins call for a play action play on 4th and 13 with 2 minutes left in the game? Bizarre call. Just go back and throw it. Didn’t matter with the flag and intereception, but still…

There’s a lot of good RB’s in the NFL that you never seem to hear about, either due to that player being on a bad team (Frank Gore, Steven Jackson) or because teams are focusing more on the pass these days (Pierre Thomas).

Eli Manning has to be the most overrated QB in the NFL. He was coming out of college and continues to be in 2009. Against the Cardinals he continued to show why he’s just an average NFL QB when the Giants run game isn’t being dominant. The praise he gets from the media (Both Boomer Esiason and Trent Dilfer had him #3 in their top 10 list of QB’s so far this year) is a little ridiculous.

It’s still early but it looks like the playoff picture is already starting to come into focus just a little. In the AFC it’s a safe bet that the Pats, Colts and Broncos will be in the postseason. Not a lock but a pretty safe bet so far. Of those 3 the Broncos are the most likely to implode with their tough schedule and some question marks. With their talent level and easy schedule the rest of the way it’s a fairly safe bet that the Steelers will also get in. That leaves 5 teams (Jets, Bengals, Ravens, Texans and Chargers) vying for 2 spots. It should be interesting. Sorry, Jags fans, but I don’t see the Jags, even with a 3-3 record, getting in.

In the NFC it’s a pretty safe bet that the Saints, Cardinals and Vikings get in. Of those 3, the Cards are most likely to falter with some question marks here and there. That leaves 3 teams fighting it out for the NFC East (Giants, Cowboys and Ealges). That could get wild with the Giants showing some serious weaknesses of late. The two teams that don’t win that division will probably be battling it out with the Falcons and Packers for the two Wild Card spots. Of course the Packers could still win their division, especially if they win a huge game next week against the Vikes. I’d also include the 49ers in the mix but it just looks like they’re at least a year away at this point, maybe Alex Smith will make me change my tune, though.

Just a note about our rankings, they are based on how well these teams are playing as opposed to overall record, unlike most power rankings. Now let’s get to it.

1. New Orleans Saints- THE GOOD – Pretty much everything at this point. The defense still gives up points, but the offense is still out running it. THE BAD – Still question marks about the defense and the effectiveness of this team playing in cold weather.

2. Indianapolis Colts- THE GOOD – Like the Saints, pretty much everything, although the defense has some issues as well. THE BAD – If Manning has a bad game this team will probably lose. That’s a lot riding on one player.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers – THE GOOD – Offense is ranked 3rd, defense 5th, that’s pretty damn good. Big Ben leads the league in passing yards. THE BAD – Running game is still suspect. Defense hasn’t been as dominant as last year.

4. Minnesota Vikings – THE GOOD- Team seems to be getting more confidence with each new win, Favre continues to play well. THE BAD – With the team ranked 13th in offense and 18th in defense in yards, there’s still question marks to how good this team really is.

5. Denver Broncos – THE GOOD – head coach Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan seem to be doing wonders for this team. The defensive line is playing lights out right now. THE BAD – The Broncos offense still doesn’t really scare anyone.

6. New York Giants – THE GOOD – The Giants still have a great running game. Defense is still great at attacking the QB. THE BAD – The Giants seem to really struggle when forced to play out of their comfort zone, ie, if they get in a shoot out with another team. If you take this team’s running game away they will probably lose.

7. New England Patriots – THE GOOD – The offense is starting to get better and better as well as the defense. THE BAD – Still question marks about the defense and running game.

8. Balitmore Ravens – THE GOOD – Joe Flacco continues to play really well at times, defense can still cause problems for teams. THE BAD – Defense is not nearly as good as it used to be (ranked 17th currently) with aging players and the loss of former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets. Injuries have hurt this team.

9. Green Bay Packers – THE GOOD – Aaron Rodgers continues to play great, O-line is playing better, defense is improving each week (ranked 8th currently) – THE BAD – O-line needs to continue to improve, still some question marks there. Same goes for the run defense.

10. Atlanta Falcons – THE GOOD – Offense is playing very well at times, Matt Ryan is playing at a high level. Defense is keeping teams out of the endzone. THE BAD – While the defense is keeping teams out of the endzone right now, it is giving up a lot of yards which could be a very bad sign for the future.

Cincinnati vs. Green Bay – In the first half of the game, Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers scrambles out of the pocket towards the right sideline looking for a receiver downfield, Cincy’s OLB, Brandon Johnson closes in and ends up hitting Rodgers less than a split second after Rodgers gets rid of the ball. Roughing the passer. Un-frickin-believable. What does the NFL want Johnson to do in that situation? Simply let Rodgers throw the ball without being hurried? I honestly think that’s what they want, to open up offenses even more and make opposing defenses as soft as butter.

New York Giants vs. Dallas – On the Giants eventual game-winning drive late in the 4th quarter, the refs and NFL try their hardest to give the Cowboys a win in their first game ever in Cowboys Stadium. On the first play of the drive from their own 25, the Giants complete a 17 yard completion, BUT the refs call a holding call on Guard Rich Seubert, even though no holding took place, they also call tripping on WR Derek Hagan on the SAME PLAY. Replays showed that too was indeed a bogus call. I guess after that the refs said “Cowboys, it’s up to you now, we’ve done all we can to help you get an opening game win in your new stadium”. Final score Giants 33, Cowboys 31.

Pittsburgh vs. Chicago – I really wish there was a way fans could contact the NFL front office because this is getting out of control. Here we have some video of SS Tyrone Carter of the Steelers putting a vicious hit (which I guess isn’t allowed anymore in the NFL) on TE Greg Olsen of the Bears and dislodging the ball for an incomplete pass. Carter appears to lean with his helmet, BUT clearly hits with his shoulder and arms as the replays show. Still, I was shocked there was no penalty on the play, GOOD JOB, refs! However, Carter was fined $5,000 for the hit this week, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO PENALTY ON THE PLAY. Fans everywhere this kind of ridiculousness is going to ruin the NFL, it’s already starting to.

There’s was a lot of sloppy play as teams shook off the rust during opening week of NFL football. Let’s get down to business.

Tennessee 10, Pittsburgh 13 – The Titans offense needs to find a way to score more points, plain and simple, it could be their achilles heel all year. Kerry Collins looks solid at QB, just like last year. Big Ben continues to show he is one of the most clutch QB’s in recent memory. The Steelers defense needs Troy Polamalu back as soon as possible, just not the same defense without him, especially in the secondary. Santonio Holmes picked up right where he left off last year, he could have his best year of his career. The Titans secondary had 2 Pro Bowlers last year? Could’ve fooled me. Steelers pass protection looks improved from last year (so far). Titans will be very hard to run against (shocker!). Don’t be surprised to see these two teams meet each other again this season.

Miami 7, Atlanta 19 – It seems like it takes a Goddamn Christmas Miracle for the Dolphins to move the ball on offense. 2, 3 yard run here and there and a bunch of 5 yard outs to WR’s that aren’t even open. It’s almost a thing a beauty, almost. It’s obvious the Wildcat was born out of necessity. Matt Ryan should have an even better year this season than last.

Minnesota 34, Cleveland 20 – Brady Quinn might not be the answer at QB, it’s still early but he had more than his share of blunders and he seems to lack much heart to be honest. The Browns seem to lack mental toughness, they gradually gave up as this game went on (they were leading at halftime). Favre may have a good season if he continues to simply dump the ball off at 5 yards at a time. The Vikings defense might be a little overrated.

Denver 12, Cincinnati 7 – Unless you’re a fan of one of these teams, it’s probably a good idea to avoid watching them play if possible. Like I thought, Cincy’s defense looks tough (outside the last TD), the irony is their offense doesn’t look so good. Kyle Orten looks to be a good fit in Denver’s new offense. Chad Ochinstinko is overrated and a wimp. So is Carson Palmer. Denver’s defense is mediocre and has to rely on the other team to make mistakes, like botched snaps on FG’s.

Dallas 34, Tampa Bay 21 – Dallas’ defense has a lot of work to do if the Cowboys are going to be a real contender this year, giving up 8 yards a run to twice-injured Cadillac Williams has to worry Cowboys fans. Tony Romo puts up good numbers against mediocre competition. Tampa Bay might win some games this year that they shouldn’t.

Philadelphia 38, Carolina 10 – This might be John Fox’s last year as head coach of the Panthers. Jake Delhomme now has like 20 INT’s in his last 2 games. Is Philly that good or would any team beat the Panthers with the way they played in this game? Time will tell.

Detroit 27, New Orleans 45 – Drew Brees is a TD machine, Fantasy Football nerds probably want to go out on a date with him. Saints D seems to be marginally improved, probably too early to tell, though. The team did give up 27 at home against the Detroit Lions. Matthew Stafford might have some real growing pains this year as a rookie QB, he had a decent first start all thing considered.

St. Louis 0, Seattle 28 – The NFC West might be even worse than previously thought and the Rams might be the worst team in the NFL. QB Marc Bulger might have a rough year, he looked very frustrated against the Seahawks. Matt Hasselback threw for 280 yards and 3 TD’s. Ouch, Rams fans. With the Cards losing at home, the Seahawks suddenly seem like heavy favorites to win the division but the season has just started.

Chicago 15, Green Bay 21 – Aaron Rodgers will make the Pro Bowl if his WR’s learn to catch the ball and his O-line learns to block. The RT for the Packers was owned all night. The Packers defense looks a lot better and more aggressive under new defensive coordinator, Dom Capers. Jay Cutler may have a rough season if he keeps throwing 20 risky passes up for grabs per game. That was his problem in Denver as well. He’s like the heir apparent to Brett Favre, talented, rocket for an arm, but questionable decision-making. Ironic that he plays for Chicago and not Green Bay. Jay Cutler doesn’t like to get hit. Chicago’s D looks the same as last year, great against the run, not so good against the pass.

Buffalo 24, New England 25 – I guess no lead is safe from the Pats. The Pats may struggle to run the ball this year. The Pats may struggle to protect Tom Brady. Brady and that offense have some rust to shake off. Trent Edwards is a pretty good QB. The Bills no-huddle offense may pose some problems for teams this year. The Pats defense has some big time question marks. The officiating is a joke in this league.

Hello all, the name is Bobby Myers and I’ll be updating this blog throughout the season with analysis and observations. Let’s kick it off with a preview of the upcoming season!

AFC East

1 New England Patriots – The Pats pretty much win this division by default. Belichick is a great coach, Brady is a great QB, but don’t listen to the dummies in the sports media, the Pats still have a TON of question marks. How good is their aging defense going to be? There’s definitely holes there. How good is the O-line (one thing that has been continually overlooked by all the sports “experts”)?. Will Roger Goodell cry if the Pats don’t win the SB this year? So many questions.

2 Miami Dolphins – I was watching the Dolphins-Bucs preseason game a couple weeks back and was thinking “what the hell is this doing on TV and why the hell am I watching it?”. Dolphins might have the worst offense in the league going into this season (their starting offense had 1 first down and no points against the Bucs). Pennington is a good, underrated QB but the lack of weapons and a questionable offensive scheme puts a ton of pressure on their D. They’ll have to play mistake free football and hope for some breaks to repeat what they did last year.

3 New York Jets – I’m surprised, Sanchez looks pretty good (so far). Unfortunately for Jets fans, the rest of the team looks pretty average across the board. Is Kenny Roger’s son the answer at Head Coach? Time will tell, but the Jets will have a tough time just getting 7 or 8 wins this year.

4 Buffalo Bills – I don’t know what the hell is going on up in Buffalo, but I feel for you Bills fans, I’m afraid you’re in for another long season. You know things aren’t going your way when the Offensive Coordinator is fired just weeks before the regular season start and the entire O-line has new starters from last year. Blame Ralph Wilson, the guy obviously doesn’t give two shits whether Buffalo wins or not.

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – The defending champs return 20 or 22 starters and look to make another serious run at the SB. The defense could actually be better with the super athletic Lawrence Timmons replacing MLB Larry Foote and 1st round pick Ziggy Hood filling in at the DL. The team is loaded with depth. The only thing standing in their way is a mediocre O-line and a retard for an OC, Bruce Arians.

2. Baltimore Ravens – How much longer is Ray Lewis going to play? I mean, shit, the guy is like 50 years old. Flacco had a very good year as a rookie last year, but the wheels started to come off towards the end of the season. It got to point where he was basically throwing short outs and dump offs and deep sideline patterns, and that was about it. Is he in for a sophomore slump? That could determine how far the Ravens go this year. John Harbaugh might already be one of the best HC’s in the league right now, which should make Ravens fans feel pretty good about the future.

3. Cincinnati Bengals – Here’s a little shocking secret for you – the Bengals (yes, the CINCINNATI BENGALS) are actually putting together a pretty good defense. In fact, don’t be completely shocked if the Bengals edge out the Ravens for the #2 spot in the division this year. If only they could get rid of sissy boy Palmer and get some decent draft picks for him, they could be sitting pretty good for the future. Marvin Lewis talks a good game but it’s time for him to put up or shut up or he’ll be looking for a new job…Continually signing troubled hoodlums definitely doesn’t help his cause.

4. Cleveland Browns– Is it time for the Browns to leave Cleveland again for another city? Remember when all the “experts” were picking these jokers to get to the AFC Championship or even the Super Bowl a couple years ago? Yeah, that was pretty funny. Sorry, Browns fans, but it’s not looking good this year.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers – Another team that should win the division by default. This team is good, but don’t believe the “THIS MIGHT BE THE MOST TALENTED TEAM IN THE LEAGUE!” crap that the sports media has been spouting for the last 2 or 3 years. Rivers is great, Tomlinson is great (but definitely not in his prime anymore), but the defense has some holes and the WR corps is questionable, but the biggest problem the Chargers is it might have one of the worst HC’s this league has ever seen in Norv Turner. I actually feel bad for Rivers and San Diego fans everywhere. This team would still have to overcome some hurdles to get to the Super Bowl but with Turner at HC, it’s almost Mission Impossible. I mean, can you picture that guy ever holding the Lombardi Trophy? even if they did somehow win it with him as HC, the NFL shouldn’t allow that sort of thing.

2. Kansas City Chiefs – Is it shocking to pick this team at #2? I’m looking at who else is in this division and I don’t think so. This is a team that virtually no one knows about, it’s almost like they don’t even exist, but there is some talent on this team. You just have to believe… Uh oh, another team that fired their OC, but I think in this case it’s a difference in philosophy due to the new HC, Todd Haley, who was the OC at Arizona last season. Just a hunch. A little fun fact, RB Larry Johnson (you know the guy that former HC, Dick Vermeil, said had to “take the diapers off”) averaged a cool 4.5 yards a carry last year. IF they get improved QB play, the Chiefs could surprised some people, you just have to believe.

3. Denver Broncos – This team ain’t looking so hot, and it’s not because Jay Cutler no longer plays here. I have a bad feeling about the new HC, Josh McDaniels, combine inexperience, youth, cockiness and maybe a good dose of arrogance and that spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E….Plus the team just doesn’t look that good. Everyone knows about the problems with Brandon Marshall, but take that away and there is still a good bit of question marks with this team. Defense could be improved, but probably not enough, the team gave up the 3rd most points a game last year(28!). Sorry, Broncos fans.

4. Oakland Raiders – I see a good bit of media pundits taking the Raiders to finish 2nd in this division, even though Al Davis is still the owner, and the new HC punched someone, and the team just had one of the worst drafts in recent memory and the offense and defense were both ranked near the bottom in almost every category last year and Jamarcus Russell is still the starting QB… I could keep going. There is no doubt SOME talent on this team, Nnamdi Asomugha is probably the best CB in the league right now and RB Darren McFadden is great, but weren’t these guys on the team last year? Just not enough.

AFC South

1. Tennessee Titans – This division is really up for grabs, but I think from top to bottom the Titans, like last year, are the deepest team. The defense should be one of the top 4 or 5 in the league, even without Haynesworth. The key is for the offense to continue to improve, however they can. That unit cost them in the playoffs last year and has always been a weak spot during Jeff Fisher’s stellar coaching tenure. At the very least, Vince Young is not the starting QB and Titans fans that’s gotta make you feel pretty good. Plus, the running game should be pretty damn good.

2. Houston Texans – The Texans finally get over the hump, beat the Colts at least once and MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!!! Or do they? I might end up eating my words if the Texans defense can’t improve from last year, but if they do it might be enough to get this young promising team into the playoffs for the first time in their history. Look for Andre Johnson, a top 3 WR and young RB Steve Slaton to have big numbers this season. Remember Texans fans, the key is the D but you probably already know that.

3. Indianapolis Colts – I don’t believe that the Colts defense is as good as it was statistically ranked last year, but it might have to be for the team to do some serious damage this year. I’m a little concerned that the new HC always looks like he doesn’t know where he is. Is he aware that he’s the HC of the team? Is Peyton Manning the real Head Coach? I wonder… The Colts offense under Manning should be efficient as always, but maybe not as good as some think, there’s some question marks at WR and RB. Should be interesting.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jags could surprise some people, but nothing really stands out to make me think they will. Garrard is a solid QB but he’s not going to carry a team, the offense just doesn’t have enough weapons. The defense took a real nosedive last year and I don’t think there’s going to be a big turnaround from last year. This division is too tough this season for this team to make a big turnaround.

NFC East

1. New York Giants – Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a luckier QB than Eli Manning. Last year he threw up about 20 passes that looked like short punts and hardly any of them were intercepted and the Giants rewarded him with a GIGANTIC contract! Not only that but he’s on one of the only teams in the NFL right now that can actually run the ball over and over again with success. What’s that saying, “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good?” I guess so! Some are picking the Giants to fall this season, but that punishing run attack should be back along with one of the best D-lines around. That should be enough to win a somewhat overrated NFL East.

2. Dallas Cowboys – Alright, Tony Romo is kind of a question mark, does he have the drive and heart of a champion? That aspect is so overlooked in sports but it’s a huge determining factor in how well someone does at the pro level. He’s talented and has some talent around him. Add to that DeMarcus Ware and a pretty good D and that SHOULD be enough for this squad to finish 2nd in the division and a possible playoff appearance. Wade Phillips has to scare the hell out of Cowboys fans, though. Along with that huge monstrosity that is the Cowboys Stadium scoreboard.

3. Philadelphia Eagles – A lot of folks are taking this team to win the division and maybe even get to the Super Bowl, not so fast. Losing MLB Stewart Bradley for the year hurts their defense more than most realize. Another huge red flag is Andy Reid looking overly giddy when reporters asked him about Vick’s 7/11 for 26 yards and 1 INT preseason performance against the Jets…That’s like 2 yards a completion. Eagles fans, watch out!

4. Washington Redskins – Someone has to finish last. The Skins could surprise some folks. Campbell has looked pretty good in preseason but that offense isn’t going to be lighting up the scoreboard, although maybe it won’t have to if the Skins defense finishes in the top 5 in yards allowed like last season.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers – Are the Packers one of the NFL’s little secrets? It seems like the most attention they’ve gotten recently is when drama boy Favre left town, even though they’re putting together a pretty damn good team (they had a good draft this year) and Aaron Rodgers had a great year last season (4,000 yards, 28 TD’s, 13 INT’s). The defense struggled at times last year but it looks like definite improvements are on the way in the development of younger players and a new 3-4 D thanks to new DC Dom Capers. This division is up for grabs but I’m liking what I see in the Packers.

2. Minnesota Vikings – Is it just me or is it extremely weird to see Brett Favre in a Vikings uniform? I don’t blame Packers fans for hating this guy, kind of an asshole move on his part. Any way, the Vikings could win the division, the defense looks good (although they gave up 20 points a game last season), especially the front 7 but the secondary has some question marks (ranked 18 last year), Adrian Peterson leads one of the only grind it out offensive running games you’ll see in the NFL these days. All Favre has to do is limit the mistakes and play smart footba—, oh who am I kidding, thtat’s like asking a fat kid to only buy one double cheeseburger at McDonalds when they’re only $1, it’s not happening!! But if by some miracle, Favre does play smart football the Vikes could be pretty damn good.

3. Chicago Bears – Why are people taking this team to win the division? Because of Jay Cutler?? Who’s he throwing the ball to this season? The defense ranked in the bottom third last year, good run defense but the team gave up 22 points a game and the secondary was a big weak spot. The offense fared even worse finishing the season ranked 26th and while Cutler may help, I see this division as a two team race. Sorry, Bears fans.

4. Detroit Lions – Stafford looks like the real deal and he does have some weapons to throw to (WR Calvin Johnson might be the most talented WR in the NFL right now). Lions fans keep the expectations low, which I’m sure they are, and you might actually enjoy this season for what it is. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Lions finished 3rd in the division, not saying it’s going to happen, but….

NFC West

1. Arizona Cardinals – I know most aren’t taking this team to win the division, but someone has to! The offense will put up points and the defense has made strides since Whisenhut was made HC. I think it’s enough to win this stinker of a division, although if Warner goes down (which is a distinct possibility) all bets are off. If the Cards can get 9 or 10 wins that should be enough.

2. Seattle Seahawks – Now that “asleep-at-the-wheel” Holmgren is gone will the Seahawks wake up? I’m not so sure. Noodle arm Matt Hasselback won’t be enough to turn around one of the most boring offenses this side of Miami. The defense should improve with rookie Aaron Curry at LB, but I don’t think it’ll be enough. Last year everyone said that the Seahawks had a great LB corps, and maybe on paper they did, but on the field it was a whole other matter. Seahawks fans, keep the expectations in check and you might enjoy this season.

3. San Francisco 49ers – I don’t know what the hell has been going on out in San Francisco lately, but I will say I think Joe Montana can still play. This team has some talent but is still at least a year or two away from playing with the big boys.

4. St. Louis Rams – Oh no. I always forget that the Rams are still part of the NFL, I don’t think I’m the only one. This team has been in turmoil for a while, Rams fans everywhere are hoping a revamped O-line does wonders for the team this year. Steven Jackson is a great RB that has been wasting away his career thus far. The defense has plenty of holes, just hope Steve Spagnuolo does a good job Rams fans.

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers – This division is up for grabs, and while it’s tempting to take the Falcons or Saints, neither team has proven they have the defense to get the job done (yet). The Panthers D is questionable as well but has proven to be more consistent than the other two. Look for the Panthers to continue to run the ball very well with the one two punch of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams and for Delhomme to continue to lead at QB.

2. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan was impressive as a rookie QB and I don’t see much of a letdown from last year. The defense for the Falcons is the big question mark, they loaded up on defense in the draft but it may not be enough for this season. Finishing 2nd in this division may be good enough to get into the playoffs.

3. New Orleans Saints – The Saints and Falcons could very easily switch positions in this division, but for now I just can’t overlook the Saints softee defense. They also loaded up in the draft on defense but I just don’t see that making a huge impact on the upcoming season. The Saints have one of the most potent offenses in the league, but unfortunately that’s all they have right now. Sorry, Saints fans.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Buccaneers have had one of the most consistently boring and unproductive offenses for a while now. Don’t expect that to change this year. Journeyman Byron Leftwich is the starting QB and has looked inconsistent in the preseason, don’t expect him to make a huge difference this year, especially given the offensive weapons on this team. The defense for the Bucs is in a state of transition after longtime DC Monte Kiffin left the team. Expect a down year Bucs fans.

AFC Championship

vs.Pats vs. Steelers – In the game for team of the decade! Pats have 3 SB wins, the Steelers 2. Fantasy Football nerds everywhere don’t see how the Pats can lose since Brady is their QB. Steelers squeak by the Pats to advance to a second consecutive SB.

NFC Championship

vs.Vikings vs. Packers – In one of the most hyped games in recent memory, Favre returns for a second time in one year as a Viking. He ends up throwing 3 crazy passes up for grabs in the 2nd half for INT’s, ensuring yet another Favre choke job in the playoffs. Packers advance to their first SB since Favre was their starting QB.